Remote alternator for selective actuation of prosthetic limbs and surgical appliances



Sept. 20, 1966 A. H. TAYLOR ET AL REMOTE ALTERNATOR FOR SELECTIVE AGTUATION OF PROSTHETIC LIMBS AND SURGICAL APPLIANCES 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Aug. 6, 1965 FIG.2

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A;'1'" R/vYs Sept. 20, 1966 A. H. TAYLOR ETAL 3,273,169

REMOTE ALTERNATOR FOR SELECTIVE ACTUATION OF PROSTHETIC LIMBS AND SURGICAL APPLIANCES Filed Aug. 6, 1963 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 l P I f'ib 23 T j T INVENTORS ALFRED H. TAYLOR ALFRED C.W. FORD CHARLES P. ST EPER BYM M an] ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,273,169 REMOTE ALTERNATOR FOR SELECTIVE ACTUA- TION 0F PROSTHETIC LIMBS AND SURGICAL APPLIANCES Alfred Henry Taylor, East Horndou, Brentwood, Essex, Alfred Charles William Ford, London, and Charles Philip Steeper, Tadsworth, Surrey, England, assiguors to Hugh Steeper Limited, London, England, a British company Filed Aug. 6, 1963, Ser. No. 300,214 7 Claims priority, application Great Britain, Aug. 9, 1962, 30,597 62 10 Claims. (Cl. 312.3)

This invention relates to a mechanism foractuation of alternate functions at locations remote from the mechanism, and more particularly to an alternating mechanism for use with artificial limbs and surgical appliances whereby alternate locking and unlocking operations may be actuated from a remote location.

Although the mechanism of the invention is of general application, it will be described herein with reference to an artificial arm elbow mechanism, by way of example. In a known artificial elbow mechanism the forearm is angularly adjustable with respect to the upper arm and is lockable in any one of a number of angularly adjusted positions. Such a known elbow mechanism is in the form of a unit whichcomprises a locking quadrant and a locking bolt or latch engageable with the quadrant, which locking bolt or latch is operated from an operating cord controlled by the patient alternately for engagement and disengagement of the bolt or latch with and from the quadrant respectively.

An object of this invention is to provide a mechanism for remote actuation of alternate functions, more especial- 'ly the locking and unlocking of a device for the angular adjustment of the members of an artificial limb, which mechanism may be located remote from the said device.

Another object of the invention is to provide such a mechanism which is small, light and compact.

A further object of the invention is to provide such a mechanism as to permit easy operation of a surgical appliance, particularly an artificial arm or leg.

According to this invention a mechanism for actuation of alternate functions at locations remote from the said mechanism comprises a base, an actuating member movable to and fro on the base, a ratchet wheel rotatably mounted on the base, driving means on the actuating member for rotating the ratchet wheel, an abutment member rotatable by the ratchet wheel, and means on the actuating member selectively engageable with the rotatable abutment member according to the rotative position thereof, the said means on the actuating member permitting different amounts of to and fro movement thereof, thus permitting different amounts of movement to be transmitted to a remote location.

An embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example, as applied to an artificial arm, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a diagrammatic side elevation of part of an artificial arm, with the mechanism of the invention applied thereto;

FIGURE 2 is a top plan of the artificial arm of FIG- URE 1;

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged side elevation of the mechanism removed from the artificial arm of FIGURES 1 and 2;

FIGURE 4 is an underneath plan of the mechanism;

FIGURE 5 is the same as FIGURE 4, but with the slidable actuating member removed to show the internal arrangement of the housing;

FIGURE 6 is a section on the plane VI VI of FIG- URE 4;

3,273,169 Patented Sept. 20, 1966 FIGURES 7 to 10 are diagrammatic views which, together with FIGURE 4 show the various stages of operation;

FIG. 11 is a view similar to FIG. 5 showing the housing of a second embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 12 is an underneath plan view of the slide mechanism of the second embodiment of the invention; and

FIG. 13 is a cross-sectional view similar to FIG. 6 of the second embodiment of the invention in assembled condition.

Referring to FIGURES l and 2, an artificial arm 1 has an upper part or upper arm 2, a lower part or forearm 3, a pivotal connection or elbow joint 4 and a control device 5 comprising a toothed quadrant 6 fixed to forearm 3 and a latch 7 carried in upper arm 2. Latch 7 is urged by a spring (not shown) to the left, that is, into the locking position. (Locking in this context means that the control device 5 prevents flexion of the arm parts 2 and 3 about the elbow joint 4). Latch 7 can be moved to the right for unlockingby a lever 8 pivotally mounted at 9 and moved by a pull cord 10. The above-described artificial arm is well-known in the art, and it is usual that it function alternately to lock and unlock flexion of the arm. Thus at one actuation of the control device by the patient the control device will be unlocked, to permit free flexion. At the next actuation the control device will be locked, by latch 7 entering between adjacent teeth of quadrant 6. The next actuation will withdraw latch 7, and again the control device will be unlocked.

The end of the pull cord 10 remote from lever 8 is connected to one end 11 of a slidable actuating member 12, which forms part of the mechanism, generally indicated at 13, in accordance with the invention. At the other end 14 of slidable member 12 a second pull cord 15 is connected, for operation by for instance the shoulder harness of the wearer of the artificial arm.

Mechanism 13, known in the art as an alternator is, as will be seen, remote from control device 5. Although all pulls on second pull cord 15 are identical, mechanism 13 permits different amounts of to and fro movement of slidable member 12, thus permitting different amounts of movement to be transmitted through first pull cord 10, lever 8 and consequently latch 7, whereby successive pulls on second pull cord 15 produce the desired locking and unlocking of control device 5, which is at a remote location from mechanism 13.

Referring now more particularly to FIGURES 3 to 6, slidable within a housing 16 closed by an underneath cover plate 17 is actuating member 12, in the form of a fiat metal slide. Slide 12 is guided, and its end positions determined, by pins or screws 18 which project downwardly from housing 16 through slots 19, 20 in slide 12. Slot 20 is part of a larger slot which includes wider slot portions 21, 22. It will be noted that slots 19, 20 receive bosses 19A, 20A through which screws 18 pass. Screws 18 fasten housing 16 to upper arm 2.

Housing 16 is recessed at 23 to receive a ratchet wheel 24 rotatably mounted on a pin 25 in housing 16. Ratchet 24 rotates in a plane above the plane in which slide 12 moves to and fro. Integral with ratchet wheel 24 and rotatable therewith is a square abutment member 26. Ratchet wheel 24 is rotatable only anti-clockwise (as viewed in FIGURES 4, 5 and 7 to 10); clockwise rotation is prevented by a leaf spring 27, fixed in a slot 28 in housing 16.

Slide 12 has fixed thereto at 28A driving means 29 for rotating ratchet wheel 24. Driving means 29 is in the form of a leaf spring which is seen in FIGURE. 4 in engagement with a tooth of ratchet wheel 24. When slide 12 moves a full stroke to the right (on being pulled in that direction by second pull cord 15) leaf spring 29 causes ratchet wheel 24, and with it square abutment 3 member 26, to be turned through 45". The teeth of ratchet wheel 24 are so spaced that every such movement to the right slide 12 causes square abutment member 26 to turn through 45. Thus member 26 is always either disposed as shown inFIGURES 7 and or as shown in FIGURES 8 and 9. As slide 12 returns to the left, leaf spring 29 rides over a tooth of ratchet wheel 24, which is held by the other left spring 27 against clockwise rotation.

Slot portion 21 can receive square abutment member 26 when it is in its FIGURES 7 or 10 state, but not when it is in its FIGURES 8 and 9 state, so that in the latter state abutment member 26 prevents a full stroke of leftward movement of slide 12, thus preventing engagement of latch 7 with quadrant 6.

Referring to FIGURES 7 to 10, FIGURE 7 shows slide 12 at the leftward end of a stroke, to which it has been pulled by the latch-operating spring. Square abutment member 26 is in slot portion 21. To unlock latch 7, slide 12 is pulled to the right and during this movement square abutment member 26 is turned, until the FIGURE 8 position is reached. On release of the pull, the latch spring pulls slide 12 a short distance to the left, until square abutment member abuts shoulders 30 between slot portions 21, 22, and prevents further movement of slide 12 to the left, and thus holds latch 7 clear of quadrant 6, permitting -free flexion of the arm. On the next pull, slide 12 moves to the right, leaf spring 29 drives ratchet wheel 24 and square abutment member 26 through a further 45 until the FIGURE 10 position is reached, Where slot portion 21 can ride over square abutment member 26, and latch 7 can engage between any desired pair of adjacent teeth of quadrant 6.

Any desired means may be used whereby the movements of slide 12 are transmitted to control devices 5, for example, Bowden wire.

The mechanism is accordance with the invention may be used in any desired position on an artificial limb or other surgical appliance. It may also be employed to an advantage in the body control of elbow mechanism. Another advantage of the mechanism according to the invention is that it can be suitably positioned on for example an artifical arm, for operation by a natural hand of a patient to initiate simple operations of a lock or bolt. Since the mechanism may be adapted for pressure operation, it may be used for nudge control of a bolt or lock by the chin or elbow of the patient.

The mechanism in accordance with the invention can be made very compact, so as to save space. This is important where the patients stump fills all the space normally used for operating mechanism of an artificial arm, since the present mechanism can be fixed externally on the arm, as shown.

Referring to FIGS. 11 through 13, a second embodiment of this invention is illustrated. In this second embodiment, ratchet wheel 24 is mounted on slide 12 and driving means 29 is mounted on housing 16. Housing 16 is formed with an elongated, stepped recess corresponding to the slot 20, 21 and 22 of the first embodiment of this invention. Otherwise, the structure of the second embodiment of the invention is similar to the structure of the first embodiment, and the second embodiment of the invention functions in a manner similar to the first embodiment of the invention.

It is to be understood that the mechanism according to the invention is not necessarily restricted in its application to artificial lim'bs, but may be used in any circumstance where it is desired to actuate alternate functions at remote locations.

We claim:

1. For use in a prosthetic device, mechanism for aotuation of alternate functions at a location remote from the said mechanism, comprising:

a base,

.4 an actuating member movable to and fro on the base,

a ratchet wheel rotatably-rnounted on the base,

driving means on the actuating member for rotating said ratchet wheel, :an abutment member rotatable by the ratchet wheel,

and

means on the actuating member selectively engageable with the rotatable abutment member according to the rotative position thereof,

the said means on the actuating member permitting different amounts of to and fro movement thereof, thus permitting different amounts of movement to be transmitted to a remote location.

2. For use in a prosthetic device, mechanism for actuation of alternate functions at a location remote from the said mechanism comprising:

a base,

an actuating member movable to and fro on the base,

a ratchet wheel rotatably mounted on the actuating member,

driving means on the base for rotating the ratchet wheel,

an abutment member rotatable by the ratchet wheel,

and

means on the base selectively engageable with the rotatable abutment member according to the rotative position thereof,

the said means on the base permitting different amounts of to and fro movement of the actuating member, thus permitting different amounts of movement to be transmitted to a remote location.

3. For use in a prosthetic device, mechanism for actuation of alternate functions at locations remote from the said mechanism, comprising:

a housing,

an actuating member, slidable to and fro in a linear direction in the housing, a ratchet wheel rotatably mounted in the housing,

driving means carried by the actuating member for rotating the ratchet wheel unidirectionally,

an abutment member on the ratchet wheel and rotatable about the axis thereof, the abutment member having two diiferent transverse dimensions normal to the said linear direction according to the rotative position of the abutment member, and

a slot in the actuating member, the slot having a wide portion and a narrow portion, the wide portion receiving the abutment member in either of its rotative positions and the narrow portion receiving the abutment member only in its rotative position presenting the lesser transverse dimension, so that movement of the slidable actuating member is limited when the abutment member presents its greater transverse dimension, thus permitting diiferent amounts of movement of the slidable actuating member to be transmitted to a remote location.

4. Mechanism according to claim 3 wherein the driving means is a left spring which engages a tooth of the ratchet wheel for rotation thereof in one direction of movement of the actuating member, the spring riding over the ratchet wheel in the other direction of movement of the actuating member.

5. Mechanism according to claim 4 wherein rotation of the ratchet wheel in a direction opposite to that caused by the spring is prevented by a leaf spring carried in the housing and engageable with a tooth of the ratchet wheel.

a pivotal connection between the upper and lower parts, a control device connected to said parts for permitting or preventing, by means of alternate movements, flexion of one part relative to the other part about the pivotal connection, and mechanism remote from the control device for actuation of the alternate movements thereof, the said mechanism comprising:

a housing fixed to one of said parts of the limb, an actuating member, slidable to and fro in a linear direction, in the housing, a ratchet wheel rotatably mounted in the housing, driving means carried by the actuating member for rotating the ratchet wheel unidirectionally, an abutment member on the ratchet wheel and rotatable about the axis thereof, the abutment member having two different transverse dimensions normal to the said linear direction according to the rotative position of the abutment member, and a slot in the actuating member, the slot having a wide portion and a narrow portion, the wide portion receiving the abutment member in either of its rotative positions and the narrow portion receiving the abutment member only in its rotative position presenting the lesser transverse dimensions, so that movement of the slidable actuating member is limited when the abutment member presents its greater transverse dimension, thus permitting difierent amounts of movement of the slidable actuating member to be transmitted to the control device;

9. An artificial limb according to claim 8 wherein one end of the slidable actuating member has means connected it to the control device and the other end of the slidable actuating member has means connecting it to an operating device operable by the person wearing the artificial limb.

10. For use in a prosthetic device, mechanism for actuation of alternate functions at a location remote from the said mechanism comprising: a first member, a second member movable to and fro on said first member, a ratchet wheel rotatably mounted on said first member, driving means on said second member for rotating the ratchet wheel, an abutment member rotatable by the ratchet Wheel, and means on said second member selectively engagea'ble with the rotatable abutment member according to the rotative position thereof, the said means on said second member permitting different amounts of to and fro movement of the second member, thus permitting difierent amounts of movement to be transmitted to a remote location.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,272,179 7/1918 Anderson et a1 312.3 2,637,042 5/1953 Threewit 312.3

RICHARD A. GAUDET, Primary Examiner.

R. L. FRINKS, Assistant Examiner.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No 3 273,l69 September 20, 1966 Alfred Henry Taylor et a1 rror appears in the above numbered pat- It is hereby certified that e the said Letters Patent should read as ent requiring correction and that corrected below.

Column 3, line 35, for "devices" read device column line 4, for "said" read the line 58, for "left" read leaf column 5, line 27, for "dimensions" read dimension m Signed and sealed this 26th day of September 1967.

(SEAL) Attest:

ERNEST W. SWIDER Attesting Officer EDWARD J. BRENNER Commissioner of Patents 

10. FOR USE IN A PROSTHETIC DEVICE, MECHANISM FOR ACTUATION OF ALTERNATE FUNCTIONS AT A LOCATION REMOTE FROM THE SAID MECHANISM COMPRISING: A FIRST MEMBER, A SECOND MEMBER MOVABLE TO AND FRO ON SAID FIRST MEMBER, A RATCHET WHEEL ROTATABLY MOUNTED ON SAID FIRST MEMBER, DRIVING MEANS ON SAID SECOND MEMBER FOR ROTATING THE RATHCET WHEEL, AN ABUTMENT MEMBER ROTATABLE BY THE RATCHET WHEEL, AND MEANS ON SAID SECOND MEMBER SELECTIVELY ENGAGEABLE WITH THE ROTATABLE ABUTMENT MEMBER ACCORDING TO THE ROTATIVE POSITION THEREOF, THE SAID MEANS ON SAID SECOND MEMBER PERMITTING DIFFERENT AMOUNTS OF TO AND FRO MOVEMENT OF THE SECOND MEMBER, THUS PERMITTING DIFFERENT AMOUNTS OF MOVEMENT TO BE TRANSMITTED TO A REMOTE LOCATION. 